DEC To Prepare Management Plan for State Lands in Clinton County

Availability Session to Be Held at the Beekmantown Town Hall on November 2 at 6:30 p.m.

ALBANY, NY (10/20/2011)(readMedia)-- Efforts to develop a management plan for the state lands in Clinton County outside of the Adirondack Park have begun, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced today.

The plan will cover 15 parcels comprising more than 4,800 acres of state lands managed by DEC. These include the 1,068-acre Macomb State Forest in the Town of Schuyler Falls; the 1931-acre Flat Rock State Forest in the Town of Altona; the 371-acre Cadyville State Forest in the Town of Plattsburgh; the 605-acre Gulf Unique Area in the Town of Mooers and 11 parcels of detached forest preserve lots in the Towns of Clinton and Mooers that range in size from 12 acres to 236 acres.

A public availability session regarding the Northern Clinton County State Lands will be held on Wednesday, November 2, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Beekmantown Town Hall. DEC staff will be on hand at that time to listen to the public's thoughts, ideas and suggestions regarding management of these state lands.

The Beekmantown Town Hall is located at 571 Spellman Road and may be accessed from Route 22 (turn east at the Beekmantown School) or from Exit 40 for Interstate 87 (the Northway).

The Gulf Unique Area has significant visual and recreational resources, including a trail that ends at the US Canadian border. Macomb State Forest is part of the Macomb Reservation. Except for the Gulf Unique Area, most of the recreation that occurs on these lands is hunting.

The management plan will seek to balance long-term ecosystem health with current and future demands for the management of these lands. While timber management is permitted and will be part of the management of the state forests lands, the cutting of trees on the forest preserve is prohibited by the New York State Constitution.

Any interested individual or organization wanting to be included on a mailing list for information about the development of the unit management plan or wishing to submit comments is encouraged to contact: Forester Dan Levy by mail at NYSDEC, PO Box 296, Ray Brook, New York 12977-0296; by phone at 518-897-1291 or by e-mail at r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us